The present invention relates to a new and improved method of regulating the hardening or setting time of a plastic mass in a mold of an injection molding machine and also concerns an improved construction of apparatus for the performance of the aforesaid method aspects.
With the presently generally known injection molding machines the hardening or setting process of the mass to be worked in the injection mold is controlled with a pre-selected, invariable time course during the operation of the machine. Under the expression "hardening time" or "setting time" there is to be understood the residence time of the mass in the mold from the time that the mass is injected until it is molded into a finished molded article. Not only too short hardening times but also too long hardening times can have a negative effect upon the quality of the molded parts or articles. Due to the fluctuations in the quality of the mass which is to be processed it is necessary to also calculate for the hardening or setting time a safety margin, resulting in loss in time and energy.